Platform or skid plate for use with light railways, tramways, and the like



Nov. 11, 1924. 1,514,669

L. L. L. MATHEW PLATFORM OR SKID PLATE FOR USE WITH LIGHT RAILWAYS,TRAMWAYS, AND THE LIKE Filed April 19. 1923 Patented Nov. 11, 1924.

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LEONARD LLEWELLYN LLANDAFF MATHEW, OF GLENCO'E JUNCTION, NATAL, SOUTHAFRICA.

PLATFORM on SKID PLATE non use WITH LIGHT Runways, rnainwavs, AND 'rnnLIKE.

Application filed April 19,

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, LEONARD LLEWELLYN LLANDAFF MATHEW, a subject oftheKing of Great Britain, and resident of Glencoe Junction, NatalProvince, Union of South Africa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Platforms or, Skid Plates for Use with Light Railways.Tramways, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates I to skid plates or platforms of the kindused in connection with the tracks of li ht railways, traniways and thelike order to divert a truck, coal-tub or othervehiclerunning on suchtracks from one track to another or others at an angle thereto.

With skid plates, platforms or the like, as at present commonlyconstructed and arranged, it is necessary when connecting the tracks orputting one track into communication with another or others laid at anangle thereto to disconnect the railsof the one track and break thetrack for a sufiicient distance or remove sufficient of the railsthereof to permit of the skid plate or platform being placed in thespace left between the ends of the rails of the broken track. V ith thisform of skid plate the vehicle passes off" the ends of the rails on tothe skid plate at a slightly lower level than the rails of the track,and is slewed or turned round. to enable the vehicle to be run on to theother track. The breaking of the first track is consequently necessaryin all cases where it is desired to lay a second track at an angle tothe first track.

The object of my invention is to con struct a portable skid plate orplatform in such a way that when laying a track at an angle to anexisting track, it is not necessary to break the existing track ordisturb any of the rails thereof It is also possible with my inventionto transfer a vehicle from the existing track without shock or jar tothe vehicle and consequent breakage of the coal or other material beingtransported. thereon. f

In accordance with the invention the skid plate or platform is adaptedto be laid up on the rails of the existing track and to be detachablysecured thereon in any desired position. It is fashioned with in.-

1923. Serial no. 633,194.

clined extensions or portions which lie b tween the rails and arepreferably provided with guard rails or plates so that the vehicle isguided up the inclined e2;- tension on to the top of. the skid plate.The skid plate may be provided with a central ring on which the vehicleis slowed or turned before it is run off on to the other track. The skidplate at the other side or sides is also constructed with downwardlyinclined portions in which slots may be formed for retainingthe ends ofthe rails of the other track or tracks in position.

The invention will be further described with the aid of the accompanyingdraw ings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved skid plate. v

Fig. 2 is a central half-sectional elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the skid plate.

,Fig. 4 is a plan of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 4, and

Fig.6 is a sectional detail view of line of Fig. at.

Referring more particularly to the form ofthe invention illustrated inFigs. l. to 3 1 denotes the main portion of the skid plate or platform,and 2. 3 are the eaten sions formed at opposite sides or ends t ere.-oil. which are inclined upwardly from their outer ends to the level ofthe top of the main portion 1 of the skid plate. 4.- rep resents theguardrailsfshown of IL section and riveted to the extensions 2, 3, atboth sides thereof and at such a distance apart that the flanges of thewheels of the we hicle will run at the outside of such guard. rails 4and up the inclined extensions 55, 8, on to the main portion 1 of theskid plate or platform.

5, 6, are the railsof the existing track upon which the skid plate isplaced and secured by means of wedges or the like 7 which are driven inbetween the webs of the exis rails and angle iron pieces 8 riveted tothe underside of the portion 1 of the skid plate in juxtaposition to theinner ends'of the guard rails 4. i

9 is the central guide ring which is fixed. on the top of the plate 1and serves for guidfi l ing the vehicle when it is slewcd or turnedround to run it on to the branch track at either side of the existingrails.

10, 11 are the downwardly inclined side portions of the skid plate orplatform, and 12 are slots formed therein which engage with the webs ofthe rails 13 of the branch tracks between the head and base thereof. Inthis way the ends of the rails 13 of the other or branch tracks areretained at the required guage.

In the drawings 1 show the skid plate designed to be placed at a pointin an existing track ror diverting vehicles to another track on eachside of the existing track, or permitting the vehicles to be run overthe skid plate on to the rails of the existing track at the oppositeside thereof. It will be evident, however, that the skid plate can beconstructed to receive the trucks from the end of one track andtransferthem to another track at an angle thereto.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 4: to 6, the platform or skidplate is constructed in such a form that it may, if desired, be shapedor pressed out of a single piece of sheet metal of the requisitedimensions. In this case the inclines 14C, 15 are formed by thedepression of the end portions 16:, 17 of being fashioned with anextension which is adapted to fit between the rails of the track and isinclined upwardly from the outer end, up which incline the truck is runon to the main portion, the main portion being fashioned at an adjacentside with a downwardly inclined portion down which the vehicle is run onto the lines of the branch track, and means including wedges for fixingthe main portion in position on the track, as set forth.

2. A. device of the kind described, coin- .rising main portion adaptedto be placed upon the rails of the track, said main portion beingfashioned with an extension which isadapted to fit between the rails ofthe track and is inclined upwardly from the outer end, up which inclinethe truer; is run on to the main portion, the main portion beingfashioned at an adjacent side with a downwardly inclined portion downwhich the vehicle is run on to the lines of the branch track, and meansincluding members fixed to the underside of the main portion near therails and wedges positioned between said members a-nd the rails forfixing the main portion in position on the track, as set forth. l

3. A device of the kind described, comprising a main portion adapted tobe placed upon the rails of the track, said main portion being fashionedwith an extension which is adapted to fit between the rails of the trackand is inclined upwardly from the outer end, up which incline the truckis run on to the main portion, the main portion being fashioned at anadjacent side with a downwardly inclined portion down which the vehicleis run onto the lines of the branch track, means including wedges forfixing the main portion in position on the track, and guides fixed tothe opposite sides of the inclined extension, as set forth. 4. A deviceof the kind described, comprising a main portion adapted to be placedupon the rails of the track, said main portion being fashioned with anextension which is adapted to fit between the rails ofthe track and isinclined upwardly from the outer end, up which. incline the truck is runon to the main portion, the main portion being fashioned at an adjacentside with a downwardly inclined portion down which the vehicle is run onto the lines of the branch track, and means including wedges for fixingthe main portion in position on the track, the downwardly inclinedportion being constructed with slots into which project the rails of thebranch track, as set forth.

5. A device of the kind described, comprising a main portion adapted tobe placed upon the rails of the. track, said main portion beingfashioned at two opposite sides.

with an extension which is adapted to fit between the rails of the trackand is inclined upwardly from the outer end, up which incline the truckis run on to the main portion, the main portion being fashioned at thetwo other sides with a downwardly inclined portion down which thevehicle is run on to the lines of the branch track, and means includingwedges for fixing the main portion in position on the track, as setforth. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificationin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v LEONARD LLEWELLY-N LLANDAFF MATHEW.

lVitnesses ARTHUR A. HiioxY, ARTHUR THOMPSON.

